One Last Chance
by SilverDawn2010
Summary: This is the last straw. Sonic keeps asking me out and then being a jerk and standing me up. And while I'm smitten enough that I keep saying yes, I've had quite enough of him. He finally shows up, late, on a romantic rainy day... and I decide to give him one last chance. [SonAmy]
1. Chapter 1

**One Last Chance**

There aren't many things more romantic and cozy than a coffee shop on a rainy day.

I sat at a booth next to the window, cradling a warm cup between my two gloved hands. I inhaled the bittersweet hazelnut scent of the latte warming my fingertips. The steam from the cup swirled in the air and fogged up the window with warm moisture. Either that, or it was my persistent wistful sighs. Raindrops trickled down the glass outside, further obscuring my view of the world. But as per usual, there was only one thing I cared and hoped to see.

I wasn't quite sure where to draw the line between "he's late" and "he wasn't coming." I had no frame of reference, because he was always, always, _always_ in the second category.

So, to back up a bit - why am I here in this coffee shop expecting my crush, Sonic the Hedgehog, to come? Well, after many long months of failure to score a date with Sonic, I decided to change up my approach. In the past I'd been proactive, asking him, begging him, even trying some hammer persuasion - and failed each time to get him to even look at me twice. So if he didn't want to be chased, I'd let up and leave that burden on him. Not only was I tired of being rejected, I figured if he really wanted to be with me, he'd make it happen himself. Sonic was that kinda guy after all.

It was hard at first, but I'd given him so many chances to make a move, approach me, ask me out. Sometimes he'd even come through, and one of two things would happen. He'd either shyly grab the back of his quills and ask me on a date, or he'd wink at me and say he'd see me later - either way, I could tell he was making at least a partial effort. And it thrilled me that he was showing some interest. At least he wasn't just ignoring and running from me anymore. But even though Sonic had officially asked me out sixteen times (... _hehe, who's counting_ …?) - he'd failed to show up every single time, leaving me lonely until I finally gave up and went home alone.

He was just toying with my heart at this point, I knew it. He asked me out to get me off his back, but then left me hanging.

I'm not sure why I even try, or even get my hopes up with him. He lets me down every time. Says he's not ready, he's busy, has other stuff to do - and don't dare ask him about the future, because he's "not looking for anything serious" and "doesn't know" if we'll ever be together. Was he so terrible at commitment he couldn't even date me casually? I was really stumped on his recent behavior. Why does he even ask me out if he won't make it? Why bother to get my hopes up? And why am I an idiot and keep saying yes? Why do I get myself all pretty, put on my best dresses, waste perfectly good lipstick if he's never going to bother showing up?

And now I was here, all alone at a coffee shop on a rainy day, on attempt number sixteen. Waiting on the wind to finally blow my way for once. The fissure in my heart was only getting deeper, each disappointment another painful crack. I knew the answers to those questions about why I kept trying, and I wasn't proud of them.

It was the way Sonic spoke when he asked me - so casual and chill like he was always, but also intense and perhaps a bit shy. Even if it was just a few seconds, enough for him to ask me if I wanted to go out with him tomorrow, I'd still hung onto his every syllable, his every gesture, every sparkle in those gorgeous green eyes. Even long after he'd said goodbye, and rushed off to do what he did, I was still caught up in that one moment, as if it were burned into my memory. His words, his sweet sweet words echoed in my mind, and ricocheted off the sides of my heart. It was the way for just a few seconds he was focused on just me, I had his undivided attention, and there was the promise we'd be together, on a date. He gave me hope, and it was enough to keep me coming back every time.

Yes, words were all I got from him nowadays. All he bothered to share. He certainly wasn't interested in sharing his _time_ with me.

Yet the more the words repeated in my heart, the more they broke me. The seconds, minutes, and now an hour ticked away, and I remaining sitting in the booth, checking my phone obsessively between sips of my latte. The rain kept falling down, people huddled under umbrellas but still made their appointments, the world went on, but it all passed me by. I was still here, waiting. And as I tried to take another sip, my coffee cup was empty - just like my heart.

I sighed. _Again_. He'd forgotten. _Again_. He stood me up. _Again_. I was jilted once more.

A sudden crack of thunder shook me from my head. I jumped a bit as I looked outside, searching for lightning. I'd better head home, then, if it was going to storm. I didn't want to be caught out in this. I slid out of the booth, grumbling as I gathered my things. I wrapped my red scarf around my neck, slipped my purse over my shoulder, and got my umbrella ready. I wasn't sure how to feel - not mad, not even disappointed, mostly just nothing. I shouldn't be surprised this was how my evening had turned out - I'd half-expected it. I'd just go home and watch a movie about a couple with the perfect happy ending to nurse my perpetual broken heart.

I used one hand to push the cafe door open, bracing myself for the water and wind as I opened my umbrella. The large fabric billowed out, but was stopped when it suddenly hit an unexpected object. I lowered it to see what was in my way -

You gotta be kidding me.

I was suddenly face to face with my date. And then I realized - the rumble of thunder I'd heard earlier hadn't been from the storm, but instead was Sonic's harbinger. His speedy sonic boom, letting me know he had arrived. _Late._

"Amy, I'm so sorry."

More words I'd heard before. I just looked at the soaking wet blue hedgehog with a blank expression. Water was dripping off his quills and face, and he shivered from the impact of rain pelting his body. I immediately noticed the green scarf around his neck, a twin to my own accessory. I'd bought it for him, as the green reminded me of his eyes.

I said nothing, and just opened my umbrella in spite of him, dodging the puddles littering the street as I walked forward. I clutched the umbrella close to me as I hurried along, leaving him standing in the rain. It served the jerk right.

Woosh - a sudden gust of wind passed by me, kicking up a tiny wave that soaked my rain boots. Sonic was suddenly in front of me, of course, but I side-stepped him and kept walking.

He circled around in front again, walking backwards to try and meet my eyes. "Hey, I know I'm late, but I'm here now."

I walked forward as if he were invisible, not daring to acknowledge his presence. I'd had it with him. If he was gonna treat me like I meant nothing to him, then it was only fair I ignore him right back. See how he liked it.

"Amy - "

"What, Sonic?" I demanded, coming to a stop. The rain picked up, and I could feel it hammering against my umbrella. I knew he wouldn't give up, but I just wanted him to go away.

"Where are you going? Dontcha want to have our date?" He seemed a bit hesitant, as if he were afraid of my hammer coming out, but I didn't even want to waste my energy on that.

"Gee, would I like to have a date with you after being stood up time and time again?" I stopped for a second as if to think. "No, I'll pass."

"Amy, c'mon, I'm sorry - "

"You're always _sorry_ , and you're never _here_ ,," I punctuated my words with a tiny stomp into a nearby puddle. "I've had enough of you playing with my heart. If you won't make time for me, then I'm obviously not that important to you. Don't ask me out if you won't bother to show up. Just... go home. And stop asking me out."

His face fell in shame, leaving his quills upright as a makeshift umbrella. "You are important to me - "

"How?" I used my free hand to gesture in a circle. "How can I possibly be important to you if you never follow up on your promises?"

"It's not...ugh," he groaned and raised his head again, my green eyes meeting his. "Look, I can't plan stuff, okay? Something always comes up and it's always the worst timing in the world, it's like I'm always on a grand adventure whenever I was supposed to be with you - "

"A grand adventure, of course. Excuses. Always _excuses_ with you!"

Sonic sighed, and shivered once more, shaking more water everywhere. His fur was matted down from the moisture, and he looked silly but still cute. "I feel horrible. But I really like you, okay? I just can't - "

I interrupted. "You _like_ me? Coulda fooled me. Prove it." I narrowed my eyes in focus on him, my heart pounding against my ribcage from his sudden admission. Did he really mean it?

He gestured to himself dramatically before shivering yet again. "Look at me. I'm out here in the rain, trying to chase you down, shivering wet, wearing your scarf, begging for another chance. And you know how much I hate water."

I shook my head, unimpressed, and adjusted my grip on the umbrella. "You just feel bad. Go home, Sonic. We're not having this date."

"Yes we are." Sonic suddenly crossed his arms and smirked, and I hated him for it. He knew I was weak for him.

"No, we're _not_."

"No need to play hard to get, Ames, I'm pretty sure I do that enough for the both of us."

I rolled my eyes. Great. Apologetic Sonic was gone and I was stuck with his annoyingly confident persona.

"Like I said, I'm here now. So here's what's what: we're gonna go back to that coffee spot, and have that date, then if you don't have a good time after this, then I'll leave you alone and stop asking you out. _Forever_. Okay?"

I didn't respond, as he was suddenly right by my side under the umbrella, his hand over mine as I held it up. His fingertips gently stroked my knuckles.

"Whaddya say? One last chance?"

Sonic was so close; my heart was beating insanely fast. A deep blush came to my cheeks as he took his other hand and wrapped it around my waist. I didn't care that he was soaking wet, just that we were now close enough to kiss. His gaze was tender, apologetic, soft. This side of him was so rare to see that I cherished every millisecond of it as I gazed into his gorgeous eyes. He'd stolen my breath, my heart, and so much more. I wanted to lean in to capture his lips so badly.

Still, I hesitated, even if I couldn't tear my eyes from him. I spoke softly. "Sonic, I don't know. I'm tired of these games, you like me and then you don't, you care and then you push me away, you ask me out and don't show up, I don't know what to think for real."

"Will ya let me show ya how I feel?"

His voice was so sweet, my heart was melting. While I was super attracted to cocky Sonic, softer Sonic had me captivated. I couldn't get enough of him when he let go of his bravado and showed that he truly did have a heart of gold locked away. I'd tried so hard for so long to find the key, but it seemed like nothing I did mattered. Sonic just did whatever he wanted. Didn't mean I couldn't try.

"You know I can't say no to you, as much as I want to…"

"Hey, think of it like this…" he trailed off, but his next words made me wonder why I expected anything profound out of his big mouth."You get to spend time with me. _Me_. Isn't that great?"

"Your ego is legendary," I rolled my eyes again, but was suddenly was reminded of his hands on me when they moved to gather me in his arms. I gripped the umbrella, holding it over us, as Sonic grinned down at me.

"Don't worry m'lady, I whilst protect thee feet from yonder water."

I raised a skeptical eyebrow at him. "What? There were so many things wrong with what you just said."

His ears folded back, and he looked adorable. I had to hug him close, putting my arms around his neck as I muffled my giggle against his shoulder.

"Hey, lay off, I'm tryin', thought you'd like some fancy talk," he began walking back to the cafe, taking care to avoid puddles and not go too fast as he carried me bridal style.

"You're so silly. It's 'thy', not 'thee', and 'yonder' is the furthest thing from fancy you can get."

"Ah whatevs. I guess I don't have to impress you anyway. Because you already loooove me," he teased as we were in front of the cafe.

I didn't even try to cover my blush, wearing my cute pink cheeks with pride. "And you spent a little too long getting here - you wanted to keep holding me, huh?"

I was instantly on the ground again, right in front of the shop. Sonic stood at a distance, back in the rain, arms crossed and cheeks flaming.

" _No_."

"Mmm-hmm, right." I deflated my umbrella and opened the door to the coffee shop.

Sonic zoomed inside, and as I followed him as it suddenly hit me. We were here, on a date. Maybe I was still a little mad at him for this, but I was finally, finally getting what I wanted. It wasn't under perfect circumstances, but still - I had to have the right attitude. If this was the only date I was going to have with Sonic, I'd make sure we both enjoyed it. Now if only I could erase all our painful history from my memory. I set down my soaking wet umbrella and shivered in the warmth of the building.

"Nice and warm in here, huh?" Sonic said to me, smiling kindly. I noticed him fiddling with his drenched scarf, attempting to untangle it from around his neck.

"Here, let me," I said and walked over to him with outstretched hands. I couldn't resist approaching him to help, as I'd take any excuse to be close to him. My heart warmed as he stood still and let me fuss over him. I took my time with the untangling, trying to figure out just how he weaved the scarf around himself, and enjoying living in his personal space. Sonic was fidgeting a bit as I worked, his hands playing with his opposite fingers - was he nervous being so close to me?

As I managed to help free the heavy fabric, I let it lay across his shoulders, but with me gripping the ends and staring into his eyes. I realized with a start how romantic the pose we suddenly found ourselves… how easy would it be to tug on the scarf to pull his face close to mine, and taste those perfect lips…

Both of us were frozen to the spot. Thanks to the height difference, I was eye-level with his lips; I studied them intensely, watching him breathe, as his eyes were locked onto me. I was afraid to move, lest I ruin the intimate moment somehow.

"Amy."

He breathed my name, and I thought for sure he was going to lean forward and kiss me. It'd be just like how I always imagined it - a jolt of electricity sparked through my system as his hands made their way to my waist, cupping around my back and pulling me even closer. We were in _the pose_! The _kissing_ pose! The scarf fabric loosened in between my fingers, and I tossed it to the side, leaving it to drip dry on the back of a chair as I repositioned my hands on his now bare neck. I didn't remove my gaze from his lips, though, and the closer his face got, the wider my eyes grew. He was gonna kiss me now! Right here, now! I closed my eyes and braced myself, trying to relax despite how tense I was. I puckered my lips just slightly, not wanting to go full duck-face, but ready to accept his lips… any second now…

I felt a brief tickle on my muzzle, gentle as a butterfly wing and warm as sunshine. I opened my eyes a sliver to take a peek, and saw Sonic pulling away from me, looking super flustered. OMG he'd just kissed me! Yes, it was on the cheek, but I didn't care! He did it! He kissed me! For the first time!

After getting over my initial shock, my lips turned into a smile, and I wanted to say something, but all I could do was giggle from pure joy.

"Thanks Sonic."

He looked so embarrassed it was adorable. "Yeah, so, uh, sit?" He took his hands off me to gesture to the booth.

"Okay," I agreed, still glowing, and my cheek still warm from his kiss.

We took opposite seats, and Sonic called over a waiter to order a hot chocolate, and me another latte. We sat awkwardly for a second, Sonic gazing outside and tapping his foot, and me unable to stop smiling. My insides were bouncing from the thrill of feeling his lips against my face. It was our _first kiss_. If only I'd leaned to the side to steal a bit more. I should have! Well, next time he wasn't gonna get away with just kissing my cheek.

After a few more moments of internal excitement, I turned back to my crush who was still staring out the window.

"So what does the mysterious Sonic the Hedgehog do all day?" I started the conversation, trying to break the ice.

His shoulders rose and then fell. "I'm a simple guy. I run. I find stuff that looks cool. I'm a hero. I save the world pretty much everyday, no big deal. And I fight Eggman and kick his butt."

"Charming."

He smirked at me, his earlier softness gone. "I didn't know I had to make you like me, I thought you already did."

I couldn't help but blush - he always made me so flustered!

"C'mon Ames, do you or do you not have a huge crush on me?" He leaned across the table, flashing me his perfect teeth.

"You know I do."

"Of course, who wouldn't?" His smug smile made me both love and hate him more.

I matched his pose by leaning across the table, resting my elbows. "What about you, hmm? You have a crush on me, too?" I shot back.

Just like that his confident demeanor disappeared, and he looked at me wide-eyed as he leaned back against the seat.

"C'mon now Sonic, I answered your question, now you answer mine. Didn't you say you'd tell me how you felt?" I battered my lashes a bit.

" _Show_ you, not tell you, that's what I said." He wiped his brow. "Whew, I'm safe."

"Oh c'mon," I pouted.

Sonic shrugged. "I don't know what to tell ya, Ames. I'm not sure what having a crush feels like, to be honest."

I dropped my grin and turned a bit sweeter. "That's okay. Just tell me how you feel. Say whatever is on you mind, Sonic."

"Right now? Uh, hate to disappoint ya but I don't feel much."

"Nothing?" I prodded. "You felt nothing a little bit ago, when you kissed me?"

The fur around his muzzle slowly started to resemble mine as it grew pink. He was thinking about it, I could tell. I had to smile as the spot on my own muzzle tingled. Seriously, I wouldn't wash that spot again...

"Okay, you got me there," he admitted, resting his face on his palm. His long fingers tapped against his cheek as he avoided my gaze for a moment more before finding my eyes.

"I've never really talked about my emotions and junk, but guess I'll try - I have this weird feeling here…" he gripped at his chest. "Super awkward but kinda nice? Excited and happy but also a little nervous? I'm having fun but also feel uncomfortable?" He gave me a half-smile, half-wince, further emphasizing the duality he felt.

I smiled wide. "I think those are signs you like me."

"Really?"

"Well, do you feel this way around anyone else?"

"No, just you…" I was about to squeal internally but he quickly followed up with, "But maybe it's cause you're the only girl I hang out with."

"Sonic. Please." I tilted my head to the side. "We _never_ hang out."

"Hm, good point."

"And why is that? I thought we were at least friends, but it's never just the two of us…." I trailed off. "Why do you keep asking me out, anyway, if you never show up? You make no sense."

"I already told ya that something always comes up. But I don't know why this has taken us so long. You're the romance expert, not me."

"Wow, I didn't think your ego let you be _bad_ at anything."

He made a face at me, but before he could say anything, our drinks arrived.

I happily accepted the warm drink, ready to nurse my second cup of caffeine. I was going to be bouncing off the walls later, but I'd need it if I was going to try to keep up with Sonic. Speaking of which -

"So, hot chocolate and not coffee, hmm?" I asked, eyeing his choice of beverage.

Sonic stuck out his tongue. "Yuck. I hate coffee."

"What? You don't like coffee? Have you ever had one with flavor?"

"Don't want to, 'sides, can you picture _me_ hyped up on caffeine? Psh. I'm jittery enough as it is."

"Hmmm, I wonder if it'd make you go faster?" I raised an eyebrow at him, and for a moment I could see something register in his eyes. Of course, the daredevil wanted to go faster.

I snatched away my cup before he could get the idea to take a swig. Although wouldn't that mean _my lips_ and _his lips_ would touch the same thing? Wasn't that just like we'd kissed? Sonic was looking at me expectantly and my blush deepened as I remembered just how close we were a moment ago…

I took a sip to hide my red cheeks and had to tease him. "Too bad you don't like coffee. The world may never know just how fast Sonic the Hedgehog can go."

Upon seeing his unamused blank expression, I was unable to hide my grin and giggle.

Sonic suddenly shrugged. "Ya know, it doesn't matter. I've never been a fan of using performance enhancing drugs. Don't need 'em."

"Caffeine is not a _drug_!"

He blinked.

"Okay, so maybe it's _technically_ a drug," I waved my hand in a circle. "Not like it's a steroid or something."

"Nah, I'm good. You keep your foul smelling black liquid to yourself. Blergh."

"You know…" I battered my lashes at him. "There's a way to taste it without actually _tasting_ it." I smiled and leaned across the table, resting my elbows on top.

"Hmm?"

Of course he was clueless. I rubbed my lips together. "What is something two people normally do on a date?"

"Spend time together…?" I facepalmed, and he continued. "I dunno, you're the romance expert. I just haven't been on many dates. Actually, I haven't been on _any_ dates. This is my first one actually. Sorry if I'm a bit clumsy, but I'll be up to speed in no time." He winked at me, and my heart forgave him immediately.

We stayed at the cafe for another half hour, talking, laughing, flirting, and watching the rain continue to soak the outside world. Thankfully we were still warm inside, due to the heater, our drinks, and - most importantly - each other. I couldn't deny that being around Sonic in an intimate setting like this was warming my heart. It was so nice to just be close to him and hang out, even if what we were doing wasn't particularly romantic. We were getting to know each other better if nothing else. I'd take any time with him that I could, and I'd give him time to figure out his feelings. Didn't mean I couldn't help him along, though - at one point his arm had been lying on top of the table, and I'd made a move to hold his hand. But curse his lightning quick reflexes, he'd moved before I got the chance.

 _You can't run from me forever, Sonic._

When Sonic finally finished off his drink, and took aim at the trash bin across the room. It obviously bounced off the rim, but Sonic was up in a flash to finish with a slam dunk before reappearing next to me. He remained standing.

"So, instead of sitting around talking about stuff, you wanna get outta here and do something fun?" He hooked his thumb towards the window.

"Like what?" I glanced outside. "It's still pouring down rain."

"I guess, if we have to, we can do something…" He winced as if the words were painful. ".. _.inside_ …"

"Do you _want_ to get wet?"

"No, I'm just not sure what normal people do inside other than sleep. Cause that's all I do. So I guess this is your department. Name it, and we'll do it."

"Really?"

"Yeah Ames. I mean, as many missed dates as we've had, I'm sure ya got lots of ideas. So I'll let you call the shots. Whaddya wanna do?"

Oh boy, here it was - the important first step. I'd have to think of something that Sonic would enjoy doing indoors - and quickly. I wracked my brain, crossing off most ideas I'd already come up with. Unfortunately, as we were both so active, the stuff I'd always daydreamed about doing with Sonic was all outdoors. Other than just kissing him of course - that could be done anywhere - maybe we could just make out - I found myself daydreaming about his lips again ~

"Earth to Amy!"

He was waving his gloved hand in front of my glazed expression, and I blinked. My head rattled from side to side as I tried to shake off my blush. I had to focus. Yes his lips were perfect, but I honestly _did_ want to do more than just kiss. I wanted to have some fun, and most importantly, get him to like me even more. So this hopefully wouldn't be our only date.

"Sorry. I know what we can do," I said.

Sonic leaned forward in anticipation, and I let myself smile sweetly at him, hoping he liked my idea.


	2. Chapter 2

_Thank you to Miss-Ecchi, kimchi-tan, , starfiction123, Notyouraverageloser-chan, and KnightOfTheWind! You guys are the best readers and reviewers I could ask for. Thanks so much for your kind words and encouragement! _

* * *

SONIC

Amy had a great idea for a first date on a rainy day. There was a new indoor entertainment center in town, all fitted out with arcade games, laser tag, and a skating rink. As soon as she described it to me, I'd snatched her up and rushed there immediately. I was surprised I hadn't heard about this place myself, but leave it to Ames to keep up with the news on fun things to do. I made the trip there as quickly as I could, taking care not to slip and fall with all the puddles littering the ground.

We entered the center with a sigh of relief, me holding Amy and her holding the umbrella - which actually turned out to be useless with how fast I ran. The wind had destroyed it, and Amy - well, she wasn't thrilled. I set the pouting girl down with caution. She immediately threw away her formerly useful accessory.

"Sorry about your umbrella, but if I went slower we would have gotten even more wet," I apologized, giving her a half smile.

"Oh, it's alright, Sonic - I can get another one. Right now I just want to get out of this dress," Amy complained. She grabbed the red skirt portion and wrung it out, dripping water all over the foyer.

"Hmmm, no sense in going back out to get you somethin' else to wear," I looked around. "Oh! They have a gift shop!" I grabbed Amy's hand and pulled her along behind me.

"You're right - oh, and look at those cute skater dresses!" She rushed over to the wall at a pace that could rival mine and started thumbing through them.

I had to smile at her enthusiasm, and couldn't tear my eyes away from her. Even with her quills and fur soaking wet, she looked cute.

"What do you think?" Amy asked, holding up two different dresses in front of her. They looked pretty much the same to me, other than the color.

I shrugged. "Try 'em on?"

She shook her head. "No dressing rooms here."

"Well - then I think…" I slowly walked over to her, wearing a kind smile. "You'd look really cute in this one." I pointed to the green and gold dress in her left hand. It had a star pattern on it that caught my eye.

"Really?" She blushed. "You think I'm cute?"

"Yeahhh," I said and snatched the dress away from her, hiding my blush. "Lemme get this for you."

"Aww, Sonic. Such a gentleman," she said with a giggle.

"I'm only doing this cause I broke your umbrella and I feel bad. Totally no romantic feelings for you at all." I got in front of the cash register and pulled out my wallet.

Amy stood next to me, grabbing my arm and leaning against my shoulder. "Mmm-hmm, that's not what you told me earlier."

I chose to ignore her and hide my smile for now. What fun would the chase be if I gave in so easily? I was viewing this whole relationship as a race, or a game for now. One that I'd won too much at, as I always did. However, outrunning Amy and "winning" had always felt like losing to me. Which is part of the reason I'd decided to go out with her in the first place. It wasn't fun to run from her anymore. And I felt terrible I'd missed so many dates.

Rain hammered on the roof of the building as I waited outside the restroom for Amy to change. It was stil dark outside, the sky painted an ominous dark gray. It appeared the rain wouldn't stop any time soon, and we were stuck in here.

But my eyes were on something more exciting - the rows upon rows of arcade games spread out before us. I quickly scanned through all of them - racing, shooting, pinball, skeeball, basketball - all kinds. I wasn't normally big on arcade games as I got my kicks from the real world, but this would be a nice change.

"Sonic! What do you think?"

Amy had emerged. I turned to take her in - okay, she looked adorable. The green brought out her eyes, and the golden stars on her dress were certainly eye-catching. She did a quick twirl for me, her skirt billowing around her legs.

"I knew you'd look cute," I told her with a wink.

She giggled. "Thanks for the dress."

"No prob. Now, what do you wanna try first?"

Amy took in the large, open arena. "Wow, they have so many here… Racing games?"

I smiled, as I knew she picked that just for me. "Oh yeah, you're on!"

We tried out several. Most with cars, some with bikes, some with animals - and… well, I'm ashamed to report that I _lost_ at every single one. Yes, it's true. It wasn't my fault though! I'm positive that my characters were just slower than the ones Amy chose. Every single time. I'd never lost so many races in my life.

"Grr," I pouted, jumping away from the machine after yet another loss. I crossed my arms and scowled.

"Got you again!" Amy laughed and pointed in my face.

"Why are my characters always so _slow_?" I grumbled, kicking at the floor. "I push forward and they barely move! How am I supposed to work with that. Such lousy racers."

"There's more to winning a race than just raw speed," Amy said.

"Hey, don't lecture _me_ on how to race," I snapped, irritable.

"Okay, sorry, jeez. How about we try something else, that doesn't require speed? Maybe you'll be good at that?" She covered her mouth with her hand to hide a snort of laughter.

I glared at her. "You're not gonna let this go, are you?"

"Nope, are you kidding? I beat Sonic at a race!" She yelled out. "Three races!"

Fine, I'd let her have her moment. But this just reminded me why I didn't play video games as much as Tails did. "Make sure when you tell everyone you specify it was a _video game_. I got a reputation to uphold."

"I beat Sonic at a race!" She said gleefully.

"Oh yeah? Bet you can't beat me at air hockey!" I gestured with my head towards a nearby empty table.

Amy grinned at me. "You're on!"

Now here was a game I was much better at. My reflexes and speed could actually be put to work here. Amy tried to play the angles and trick me, but I saw it all coming. My hands moved the striker across the table at lightning speed, and Amy couldn't handle how fast the puck flew at her. I beat her 7-0 without breaking a sweat.

"You cheated!" Amy pouted, throwing her clenched fists down as she normally did when mad.

"I did not. You just can't handle my quick reflexes," I gloated.

"Oh yeah?" Just like that, her anger dissipated and was replaced by a flirty grin. "Let's see if your quick reflexes can handle this!"

She lunged for me, and by her puckered lips could tell she was going for more than a hug this time - she wanted a kiss. Oh boy - Amy looked so eager, she wanted me so much. I'd wait until the last second and then dodge, just to mess with her. She was getting closer and closer, I was mesmerized by her expression. She was so close, I could smell her rose perfume. What would it be like to kiss those lips…

I sidestepped, not a moment to spare. Amy was left hanging, and took a second to realize what I'd done. She turned back to me with a cute scowl.

"Sonic! That was so rude! No way to treat a lady."

I just laughed. "Proved my point, didn't I?"

"Hmph, fine. You don't want to kiss me now. I get it, cause I know the truth. You've already kissed me on the cheek after all." She raised a hand to the spot on her muzzle.

"That was -!" I stopped myself, having nothing to say.

She wore a knowing smile. "How about this. We play one more game. If I beat you, I get to kiss you."

I was definitely intrigued. "And if I win?"

"Whatever you want."

"So you have to make me 20 chili dogs, got it."

Amy rolled her eyes. "Of _course_ that's what you want. So, what game?"

"Not racing."

"Okay, that'd be too easy for me with how slow you are. How about… one-on-one laser tag?"

My smile broadened. "Ohhh, you're _so_ on. Better get your grill going because you're going _down_."

Her smile matched mine. "Well, you better pucker up because I'm gonna get that kiss."

We both headed for the arena, walking side by side. Amy reached for my hand and I let her take it. My girl looked so eager to prove herself and earn the right to my lips - but little did she know I wanted to kiss her anyway. And I would - but not like this. Again, it was all just a game. I'd let her think she had the upper hand, but I knew she had no chance.

"Ever play laser tag, Sonic?" Amy asked me when we got into the vesting area.

"Nope. But I'm a quick learner."

She stopped and blinked three times in quick succession. "Soooooo you don't know the rules."

I shrugged. "Psh, how hard can they be?"

"Oh, this'll be fun," she muttered and slid the vest over her torso. Whatever.

I listened as the referee listed off the rules. Nothing too surprising until…

"No running is allowed. If you do run inside of the arena, you will be immediately disqualified."

"What? Are you _kidding me_?" I shouted before standing completely still and gaping at the referee.

Amy cracked up. "Your face~!" She fell to her knees laughing. "You look so shocked, Sonic! Haha!"

This had to be a joke. How was I supposed to compete without my greatest strength?

"It's fine." I started stretching my arms and legs, brushing off my initial panic. "I don't need to run to beat you. I still have my reaction times."

Amy finally recovered from her giggle fit and lifted herself up. She pointed her gun at me and wagged it back and forth. "You rely too much on your speed. Take it away and you're nothing."

"Wow. Such big talk from a girl who only uses a hammer. Last I checked, this game doesn't have them."

"We're on equal footing then. We'll see who outsmarts the other."

We finished vesting up and entered the dimly lit arena. I didn't have a strategy in mind as I didn't need one. How cute of Amy to think we were on equal footing. I was about to show her I was so much more than just a super fast dude.

The music began, and it was on. I started with a brisk walk, my eyes rapidly taking in my surroundings. There was plenty of cover and lots of places to hide, but I was going to constantly be on the move. Maybe I couldn't run, but it would drive me crazy to just sit and wait. My sense of sight was on high alert, as any flash of light coming from Amy's vest would be obvious in the darkness, and I'd see it immediately -

TAG!

Amy had gotten me! My head instantly whipped around, but nothing. Where was she - what angle had she sniped me from? I grumbled and tried to get a new position. My legs were aching to run but I was not about to lose. There was no way I was letting her make the first move.I wanted to kiss Amy before she kissed me.

Wait, what?

TAG!

Crap - I'd been distracted. She'd been able to hit me twice from wherever she was. This time, though, I remained perfectly still. Maybe I couldn't run, but if I could just survey my surroundings and stay hyper aware, I'd be able to see Amy before she shot me and get her first. I waited for what felt like forever before moving again. Amy was already up by 2 points - she could just camp in one spot and wait for me. I had no choice but go on the offensive. I moved excruciatingly slow, checking my corners as I advanced. If Amy was in one spot, I'd find her eventually.

"C'mon Ames, it's no fun if you stay put! Show yourself! Don't be a coward! I know you're getting a kick out of me looking for you for once, but c'mon..."

Nothing. I couldn't even get her to laugh, or breathe loudly. I was going to lose if I couldn't find her. And that wasn't an option.

"Amy, c'mon, show yourself! Do you want to play laser tag or hide in a corner?"

I turned the corner quickly, my gun up and ready, but nothing. This girl had just disappeared.

"You know you're really pretty, I wanna see you…"

Okay, maybe that was a bit desperate. But if she was gonna be a filthy camper, and I couldn't run, I was going to use everything else to my advantage.

"I know you want that kiss, but if you let me win I'll give you one."

Silence. Man this girl had nerves of steel. And was more competitive than I was expecting if she didn't make any noise at me saying I'd kiss her.

Speaking of noises, I think I heard her for a second. The sound of scuffing boots in between the pounding beats of the my left. I peeked around the corner - there! I raised my gun and zapped her before she knew what hit her. I ducked behind cover from a different direction.

"Sonic!" she protested, but I was long gone. The score sat at 2-1 and I knew where she was now. I could cover all angles to block her escape. I waited for her to make a move, but it looked like she was staying put again. She was still in the lead after all. What a boring playstyle.

I went back to her hiding spot and tagged her again.

"Fine, if this is how you wanna play it - "

TAG!

She'd been ready and had tagged me back. This time, though, she fled her spot. I kept a mental note of where she was heading and took an alternate route. You're going down Ames, I already lost to you once today.

There! I caught the corner of her lit-up vest, and raised my gun to tag her again.

"Time's Up! Tie Game! Sudden Death!"

Oh things were getting real now. I wasn't playing for a kiss; that was going to happen either way. I was playing to win. Amy was going to be aggressive, as she always was, but I wasn't about to sit and wait. I'd have to find her first and let my reflexes win me the fight.

"Got you - "

Her voice! The sound waves carried to me, but luckily I was faster than the speed of sound. I spun around to the direction of her voice, my gun up, and tagged her first. The lights turned on, and we were prompted back to the vesting area.

"Alright!" I punched the air. "What did you say, Ames, I'm nothing without my speed? Well, take that!"

She looked so sad, her eyes glued to the floor, and her arms limp at her sides. Her frown made me mirror her expression. "Aw, cheer up. You did great. We had fun, right?"

I walked over to give her a side hug, and she looked up at me with a pout.

"I had you, Sonic. And then I had to open my mouth. My excitement got the better of me. There goes my chance to kiss you."

I patted her shoulder and then let her go. "Aw, don't worry. You'll get other chances. Promise, 'kay?"

"Really?" A smile began forming on her lips.

"Yeah. I'd never break a promise to you. I mean - " I corrected myself before she even had time to glare at me. "I mean, _from now on_ , I won't break a promise to you. I mean it, Ames."

I took off my vest to put it back before helping Amy with hers. I then took her hand as we walked out of the arena, our eyes adjusting to the brighter lights in the larger building.

"Just one question, how did you always know where I was?" I asked Amy. "Seems like you were able to find me and tag me pretty easily."

She still didn't want to look at me, and her disappointment was evident in her body language. However, I was able to get her to smile just a little with her response. "I have Sonic Radar. I always know where you are."

I turned to look at her, my hand gently rising up her face. I wanted her to have a good time more than anything, so I wasn't going to let her be sad.

"You certainly do. You're always right behind me, Ames. And honestly? I think it'd be better that from now on, you're by my side instead of behind me. Whaddya think?"

Her eyes gleamed and she nodded. She raised her hand to put it on top of mine, which was against her cheek. "I'd like that, Sonic. You know, I said I always know where you are, and that's because you're always in my heart."

Aww, that was so sweet. I couldn't bring myself to say that outloud, though, as my sudden deep blush betrayed me. "Ah, yeah, guess so…" _Play it cool, play it cool…._ Why is it always so hard to play cool around Amy?

It was her turn to gently guide my face back towards her. She had a mischievous glint in her eyes as her thumbs caressed my cheeks. "Did you mean it when you said you'd kiss me even if you won?"

Crap. Crapcrapcrap. It was suddenly really really warm in here, with my hand on her face, and her hands on mine. I opened my mouth and stuttered some garbage before managing to say, "No, I said if you _let_ me win. Which you didn't. So there."

She drooped, and let go of me pouting some more. "Fine. Let's go get some chilidogs."

Oh, right! Score! I was already super hungry. As we headed towards the door to go outside though, I noticed it had cleared up.

"Hey, it's not raining!" I took Amy's hand again and pulled her towards the large glass windows near the entrance. It was still cloudy, and everything wet, but the skies had let up their earlier torrent.

"Finally. I thought it was going to storm all day," Amy said, turning to smile at me.

I gasped, suddenly remembering something. After it stopped raining there was something I always tried to do. She would love it….

"Amy, I think I wanna cash in on my win for something other than chilidogs. There's somewhere I really wanna take you instead. If that's alright."

She nodded and squeezed my hand. "Of course, you know I'd go with you everywhere and anywhere. Plus this place must be really special if you'd take it over chilidogs…"

I gathered Amy into my arms, smiling down at the girl. She really was so lovely, and I couldn't wait to see the look on her face when I took her to one of the most beautiful places in the world - but I didn't have time to enjoy her, we had places to go.

As we took off, I kept one eye on the sky. There had to be a rainbow somewhere among the clouds as the sun was peeking out in some spots, streaming strands of golden light to the ground. Maybe after I took her to this special spot, we'd go rainbow hunting, or racing thunder - now that it'd stopped raining we had so many options to choose from.

I zipped out of the city, and towards the nearby Whimsical Woods. The magic forest hidden in a valley held all sorts of cool flora. What hit me immediately, as it always did, was the post-rain scent. I inhaled deeply - everything smelled so fresh. The leaves were still dripping with moisture, small dew droplets hanging off petals and limbs. The tree bark looked damp, painted a dark gray and brown color. I enjoyed every bit of it as we raced through the trees.

I could see the clearing ahead, and hoped we weren't too late. I came to a stop at the edge of the treeline, kicking up a small wave from the wet grass. My heart fell a bit as I looked over the open meadow. The grass was sprinkled with dark blue flowers, their long petals covering the ground. We were too late; I'd ruined this. I hadn't been fast enough.

"Amy I'm sorry," I apologized as I set her down, her boots cushing into the soft ground.

She surveyed our surroundings, and then looked at me with wide eyes. "You're sorry? What, why? These flowers are gorgeous!"

"Yeah, well… these are special flowers," I said as I walked forward a bit, taking care not to crush any of the blossoms. "Ya see, they only bloom right after a rainstorm. I was hopin' I could get you here in time to see them actually open up and bloom, but guess not."

"Wow, really? That's _magical_ …" She kneeled down to more closely examine one of the flowers, delicately holding the blue petals in her fingertips. "I've never seen these flowers before, what are they called?"

"Honestly, no idea. I'm pretty sure I'm the only one that's ever been here, cause I asked Tails and even he didn't know. I just call them rain flowers, but, eh, I'm sure we can come up with a better name."

Amy didn't answer at first, just took a moment to look throughout the meadow. As far as we could see, the flowers spread out, covering the green grass with pockets of blue. She stood back up. "Sonic, you know so much about nature… how many of these places do you know about?"

I crossed my arms across my chest and gave her a nice smile. "A few. And honestly, uh…" My mouth decided to stop working for a moment. Amy turned to look at me, and that just made it worse. "Uh…"

"What is it, Sonic?" She asked, so adorably.

"I just… you know. There's a lot of cool spots like this that I've visited by myself, and I'm pretty sure I'm the only one who knows about them. And it's crossed my mind that it'd be nice to have someone to share those with."

I kicked the ground out of habit, and ended up splashing some water on a nearby flower. I barely had time to react before Amy was hugging me tightly.

"Aww Sonic! That's so _romantic_ ~!"

"Heh, heh, yeah guess so," I brushed it off, reaching to grab the back of my head as a nervous habit. It was way too easy for Amy to make me lose my cool. "I have been wanting to show you this place for awhile now, just never found a good time."

Her head shook a little and then she looked up at me with her pretty eyes. "Sonic, I can't - How… how can you possibly be this dreamy?"

I chuckled. "And how can you possibly be this - " I stopped myself just in time. How had those words almost slipped out? I didn't need to stop myself, though. I didn't need to hide my feelings anymore anyway.

"Be this what?" Amy asked me. She looked so adorable, her green eyes wide and her ears focused on me. A slight breeze ruffled her bang-quills to brush them against my face.

"Be this, uhhh, interested in this kinda stuff?" I recovered, grinning despite how warm my face was. No way she bought that.

She shot me that knowing smile that killed me a little bit and then hugged me again as we looked over the meadow. I was still kicking myself that we'd missed the main event of the blooming, but it was nice to be out here anyway. Taking a moment to relax and just enjoy nature was one of my favorite things to do between adventures. Being with Ames just made it even more special.

"Sonic this really is romantic if you think about it," Amy said. "These flowers wait, and wait, dormant for so long, hiding their beauty, waiting for just the right moment to bloom. Content to wait out the storm, having faith that it'll be over soon and all worth it. And… once the sun comes out and a rainbow appears, they take the risk. To open up, to bloom… to share themselves…"

I could tell by her tone she wasn't just talking about flowers. She put her hand on top of my heart, and then looked up as if she wanted to ask me something, but seemed unsure of herself. I was so caught up in her eyes that it took me a moment to realize something. The rain had suddenly picked up again. We were being pelted with soft raindrops, soaking us once again. I reluctantly broke our gaze to look over the meadow, and sure enough, the flowers began to retreat back into their buds, shriveling up.

"Wow…" Amy breathed, and hugged me closer. This time I wrapped my arms around her as well, doing my best to shelter her from the rain.

Amy continued. "Then just as quickly the flowers hide and fade away, waiting for another fleeting moment where they can come alive once again. Seems like they're only able to bloom for a little bit, as all it does is rain and they have to wait."

"Amy…" I whispered in her ear, still holding her close to me. My heart was doing all sorts of weird things inside me. I wasn't used to it beating this quickly; even running didn't get me this worked up. Despite the rapid pace, I felt nothing but calm. Suddenly, all at once, I just wanted to be here with this girl and never run from her again. I was in awe at how strong this feeling was in my core. I knew, suspected anyway, that I had some feelings for her, but being out here with her had awakened something within me. Something deep and strong and amazing and thrilling and scary and overwhelming.

"Do you wanna wait out the rain with me…?" I whispered again. She just nodded, but I wished she'd look up at me so I could see her pretty eyes again. Her head was right against my chest and there was no way she couldn't feel my heartbeat. Her head was also tucked under my chin, and my lips found themselves pressed against her forehead without even thinking. She nuzzled into me and I kissed her again, several times. Her head was already wet from the rain, she probably didn't even notice… my kisses were like raindrops to her.

But when she gently pulled back, angling her head up to look at me, and I got another look into her dazzling green eyes - my breath was immediately stolen. She was perfect - so pretty, and girly, and delicate, yet strong - even with raindrops dripping off her face, sticking her eyelashes together, and moistening her cheeks, I knew they were more akin to tears of joy than pain. Her hands gripped at my back-quills and mine found their way to her waist and lower back. I leaned my head down, and our noses briefly touched, prompting a smile from Amy. I knew what I had to do, what I wanted to do, and finally it was the right time.

I dipped my head down a little, gently lifting her a bit with some pressure on her back. Amy got on her tiptoes and smiled at me, her eyes on my lips again. I exhaled slightly, trying to expel my anxiety. Part of me wanted this to be perfect as I knew how much this meant to Amy, but most of me just wanted to go for it. We'd both waited long enough, and I'd teased her all day. It was the right time, with the rain falling around us, amidst flowers waiting out the storm so they could bloom just like the love had bloomed in my heart.

I took another moment to just stare into Amy's eyes, burning them into my memory so that when I closed mine, I could still see them… but my thoughts quickly turned from her eyes to her lips as I erased the last few inches of space between us - and finally let our lips connect.

A spark of warmth ignited in my heart as we shared our first kiss. Her lips were incredibly soft as my own explored them with gentle caresses. I'd never done this before, but was so caught up in the moment I just did what felt right to me - held Amy close to me, and let our lips dance together in gentle harmony. She seemed to know exactly what she wanted to do, so I let her at it - her lips were hungry but not aggressive, just enough for me to feel her sweet passion and desire for me. I did my best to match it with these newfound feelings that were just bursting inside.

My heart was still going crazy in my ribcage, each beat a pang of pleasure. In between the rapid beats, I could feel Amy's own heart beating with mine, I was instantly addicted to the feeling. I couldn't get enough of her - this love thing was the best thrill I'd ever had. My lungs were hurting and I couldn't breathe, but I didn't want to stop. My head was already spinning, and the lightheadedness was nothing compared to how amazing I felt - like I was going Super and yet super weak at the same time, but in a good way - couldn't describe it if I tried. Beyond words.

Amy broke the kiss herself, and I could feel her panting chest against my own. As we recovered, I was suddenly reminded of where we were - grounded in the Whimsical Woods and Meadow, the rain falling on top of us. I felt the ground under me again, as before it was like we were floating in a cloud. We were both soaked to the bone, and it was still raining - Amy shivered against me.

"Sonic."

Our eyes met again, green and green both looking at each other with adoration. I moved my hand from her waist to her ears, brushing away her bang-quills only for them to pop back into place. Adorable. I adored her, every bit.

"Amy."

"That was... a really nice kiss. 'Bout time, too. You sure made me wait for it."

"Heh, what can I say? I've been wanting to do that for a while, too."

She rubbed my back but held me close, as if she were afraid I'd run away at any moment.

"Please don't leave me again…"

"I won't," I said immediately. "I won't. And you know why…?"

"Why, Sonic?"

"Because I have these - amazing, incredible feelings in my heart for you. They all just came so suddenly just now, and I can't keep resisting you anymore, I don't want to. What I do want... " I let go of her back to take her hands. "Is for you to be my girlfriend."

She just gaped at me. "Sonic, I…for real? Do you mean it?"

"Sound like something you want?"

"Yes! I do. I _really_ do. Will you marry me?" She asked, her bright green eyes so shiny they were impossible to look away from.

I chuckled. "Let's take it easy there, Ames. One thing at a time."

"Wow, Sonic is telling me to be patient, never thought I'd see the day!" Despite her sassy tone, she was getting all girly and excited, her hands gripping mine and shaking them from side to side. "So you're saying there's a chance?"

I pressed my lips to her forehead again. " 'course. But for now you'll have to settle for me being your boyfriend." Super awkward for me to say at first, but I liked how it sounded. I was Amy's boyfriend. Huh.

"Oh, Sonic I'm just so happy!" Amy said with a slight squeal, hugging me again. "I don't even care that we're both soaking wet again. I just, I've waited so long for this. To be with you."

"Now you have me - so what will you do with yourself now?" I teased.

"Spend time with you of course. Didn't you say you had other places to show me? We can go on adventures together!"

I nodded. "Sounds incredible, Ames. For now though - I still wanna show you these flowers blooming, ya just gotta see it."

"We have to wait for the rain to end, though," she said, and traced out circles on my back. "What do you wanna do while we wait?"

From the look in her eye, I knew what her answer was, and happily obliged as our lips met again. This kiss was every bit as sweet and magical as the first one, and here I was thinking _that_ was the best I'd ever felt. But Miss Amy Rose had some tricks up her sleeve, I could already tell. She was going to make me fall in love with her, and honestly? There's nothing I wanted more. I hadn't thought much about romance in my life, never thought it was something I needed or cared about. Being here with Amy, I realized she was the part of me I never knew I needed. All those times I felt that aching to be with someone else and she briefly crossed my mind, those were the stirrings of love. And I wasn't going to fight them anymore. Being with Amy would be much easier than avoiding her. I was done playing the games of "will he won't he" - I'd made my decision, and it was a definite yes.

Amy broke the kiss again, and before I could tease her about not wanting to kiss me, she just pointed and stared. The rain must have stopped just now, as the meadow as suddenly coming alive. The rain flowers were blooming all around us, their dark blue petals emerging and spreading to reveal their true colors. Amy gasped as we were treated to a blanket of blue flowers transforming the meadow right in front of our eyes to an azure ocean of magic.

"So beautiful," she whispered, and I turned to her. I'd seen the flowers bloom countless times, but seeing Amy's reaction to it all was the most beautiful thing.

I hugged my girlfriend from the side. "I know you are, Ames."

She elbowed me gently. "Aren't you glad you didn't miss this date?" She asked.

"Aren't you glad you agreed to give me another chance? Told ya I'd make it up to you."

She leaned against me and gave me a playful warning. "You better not miss _another_ date, Sonic."

"Amy, there's nothing in the world that could keep me from you right now. If I gotta save the world again, yer coming along with me this time no matter what. Even if I have to drag you."

She looked up at me, confused. "I always help you save the world, did you not notice?"

"Oh yeah, 'course, but like I said back there… I want you by my side this time. 'Kay?"

"Deal."

"Perfect."

She was. Honestly. Amy Rose was the perfect girl for me. Patient, pretty, caring, helpful, cheerful, strong, determined, stubborn, sweet… I just wish I hadn't been so slow to realize it. Then again, I was always hearing I needed to be more patient, and if this whole thing had taught me anything, it was that the right timing was important. Amy had given me one last chance, and I'd taken full advantage. I couldn't wait to see what adventures we would have. Together.


End file.
